Inaugural issue of free BicycleTraveler ezine available now

A new bicycle touring magazine that collects the best bike travel stories and photos from across the globe is available just one click away.

The free and non-commercial “BicycleTraveler, An International Magazine on Bicycle Touring,”is a digital e-zine launched this month.

Using the work of the best bicycle writers and photographers, the magazine is published by experienced bike traveler Grace Johnson.

She and Paul Jeurissen have been traveling the globe for years on their bicycles, sharing their stories and photos at the blog “Bicycling around the world, In search of inspiring cycle images.”

Do it yourself

The launch of the magazine itself is a lesson in what traveling bicyclists can accomplish while on the road. Grace writes:

“Finally, from a Nepalese hotel room we have been able to upload the
first edition of Bicycle Traveler magazine. It’s come a long way since
we started putting it together in Thailand a half year ago.”

The magazine is definitely a do-it-yourself project. I asked Grace why she started the project.

“I missed a magazine on international bicycle touring, and I knew there were a lot of great writers and photographers. So I just thought, 'Maybe I should put the magazine together myself.'”

Selections

From the cover photo by Rick Galezowski to the “parting shot” from Daisuke Nakanishi, you'll probably recognize the names and work of this first issue's many contributors.

Zoa and Fin, from the TravelingGypsies blog, write about Riding High in the Dolomites. You might remember them as the couple who travel with their dogs, Paco and Jack.

Helen Lloyd, from HelensTakeOn.com, writes about how hungry cyclists devour a picnic.

In “Crossing Borders and Magic Letters,” Peter Gostelow (TheBigAfricaCycle.com) writes about his adventures in Africa.

Friedel Grant, half of the TravellingTwo blog, rolls with some quotes from a small-town America newspaper.

Photos and reports

The digital format is a perfect medium for the stunning photographs that the bicycle travelers use to illustrate their stories. Photo essays share images from Tibet, Kyrgyzstan, Scotland and Peru.

In addition, Tom Allen (Toms Bike Trip) has a review of the Extrawheel Voyager bike trailer, and Grace reports on some new gear, such as water bottles, sporks and tires.

Lastly, there's a fascinating interview with Eric Atwell, who toured through Africa on a three-speed roadster in the 1930s.

Another ezine

The magazine's presentation reminds me of Paul Kramer's “Rider's Collective.” That ezine features some of the best recent articles and photos on bicycling from the web and publishes them in a magazine format. (I wrote about the ezine here.)

While“Riders' Collective” takes in the whole cycling universe — the recent issue includes articles on long-distance cycling, racing and cargo bikes, the BicycleTraveler focuses on bicycle touring.

I hope they both have a successful run.